Review: Awaken by Meg Cabot

Awaken
Abandon Trilogy #3

Author: Meg Cabot

Publication Date: July 2, 2013

Publisher: Point

Genre: Mythology

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Synopsis:

Death has her in his clutches. She doesn’t want him to let go.

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera knew by accepting the love of John Hayden, she’d be forced to live forever in the one place she’s always dreaded most: the Underworld. The sacrifice seemed worth it, though, because it meant she could be with the boy she loves.

But now her happiness — and safety — are threatened, all because the Furies have discovered that John has broken one of their strictest rules: He revived a human soul.

If the balance between life and death isn’t fixed, both the Underworld and Pierce’s home back on earth will be wiped away. But there’s only one way to restore order. Someone has to die

My Thoughts: I have been following this series and eagerly anticipating this final novel for awhile. If you follow my reviews you will know that I am ga-ga for mythology and I love Persephone and Hades based books.  Most of my favourites right now are at least somewhat based on the star-crossed couple from Hell (or Hades, rather).

This novel is the last of the Abandon Trilogy from Meg Cabot.  In it, Pierce Oliviera finally accepts her role in John's life and in the underworld.  However, the Furies have something else entirely in mind.  The Fates have mysteriously disappeared and the Furies are running wild causing havoc in both the Underworld and on the surfaces on Isla Huesos. Together, John and Pierce have to figure out how they are going to save both of their worlds.

In truth, I liked the previous two books in this series a lot more in comparison to this one.  At times, this one seemed to come to a dead creep and then pick up and go a mile a minute.  The pacing was strange at times and infuriating at others.  There were a lot of moments were I just kind of stared at the novel incredulously and wondered: "Did that just happen?", and not in a good way.  There were a couple of aspects thrown in (like Thanatos) that I just thought was a little bit of an overkill and pointless to the plot other than maybe to save a character I had no interest in in the first place and to use up a chapter or two.

Other than that, I did enjoy it though.  I felt like it tied up the loose ends of the series well and I still read it in one sitting. It makes me sad that the story of John and Pierce has come to an end and that I won't have anymore books about them in the future, but it seemed like that was a good place to end the series.  If you haven't yet checked out the Abandon Trilogy, I certainly suggest that you do.  It is definitely worth your time.

Review: The Iron Queen by Kaitlin Bevis

The Iron Queen
Daughters of Zeus #3

Author: Kaitlin Bevis

Publication Date: May 17, 2013

Publisher: Musa Publishing

Genre: Mythology

Thank You Kaitlin Bevis for the review copy!

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Synopsis:

Life is hell for Persephone. Zeus will stop at nothing to gain access to the living realm and the Underworld, and as the only living god with a right to both, Persephone’s in trouble. Captured and tortured beyond the limits of her resolve, Persephone must find the power to stand against Zeus. But will she be strong enough?

Meanwhile, Hades contemplates desperate measures to rescue his queen. Persephone never thought of herself as dangerous, but there’s a reason gods never marry for love. A being with the power to destroy all of creation shouldn’t place more value in one individual than the rest of the planet. But Hades...Hades would break the world for her.

To save the world and stop both Hades and Zeus, Persephone must make a difficult choice. One that may cost her everything.

My Thoughts:  This is one of my favourite book series.  Hades and Persephone have recently become one of my favourite mythological couples to read about and this series really hits it home.  The last novel (Daughter of Earth and Sky) left off on a MAJOR cliffhanger, so I was really anxious to get my hands on this one and as soon as I did, I didn't put it back down.

Persephone has been through a lot in the past couple of books, but this one definitely pushes her to limits that  she is not entirely sure that she can endure.  After being captured by Zeus, she is tortured endlessly as he tries to gain access to not only her mother's realm, but the Underworld as well.  Meanwhile, Hades is hell-bent (get it? pun intended) on rescuing his wife from Zeus' clutches and is willing to do whatever it takes.

I love Persephone.  In the first book (aptly entitled Persephone) she was brave, but really naive.  Not that her naivety was entirely her fault since she had been kept in the dark her whole life about her birthright and the fact that she was, in fact, a goddess.  Her naivety also got her into dangerous and harmful situations that has carried on up until The Iron Queen.  She is slowly learning from her mistakes and in this novel we certainly get a major look at how powerful a goddess Persephone will turn out to be when as she grows.  She is definitely a force to be reckoned with by the end of the novel and I was thoroughly impressed with her transformation (as is everyone else involved).

I wish I had seen more of Hades.  He was in the novel plenty, don't get me wrong, but I just love him so much I wanted more of him.  It actually makes me want to go back and reread the entire series just to get my Hades fix (in fact, I think I will do that).  He is just so... Hades.  He didn't hesitate to put everything on hold and do everything within his power to track down and save Persephone pretty much the moment she was taken.

I sorely missed the Underworld as Hades was, for the most part, on Earth for this novel.  I missed all of the Underworld characters that I loved (Cassandra in particular, although she did make an appearance) and the realm itself.

All in all, I read this novel pretty much in one sitting like the previous two.  I do not have enough praise for this series, it is fantabulous.  If you love mythology and you haven't yet picked this one up I suggest you do, you won't be disappointed.

Review: Furious by Jill Wolfson

Furious

Author: Jill Wolfson

Publication Date: April 16th 2013

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. BYR

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Mythology

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Synopsis:

Three high school girls become the avenging Furies of Greek legend.

We were only three angry girls, to begin with. Alix, the hot-tempered surfer chick; Stephanie, the tree-hugging activist; and me, Meg, the quiet foster kid, the one who never quite fit in. We hardly knew each other, but each of us nurtured a burning anger: at the jerks in our class, at our disappointing parents, at the whole flawed, unjust world.

We were only three angry girls, simmering uselessly in our ocean-side California town, until one day a mysterious, beautiful classmate named Ambrosia taught us what else we could be: Powerful. Deadly. Furious.

My Thoughts: Like many others, I'm in love with mythology and anything that has to do with it. I try to read as many books with mythological roots as possible. So when I was glancing through the upcoming releases for spring and spotted this one, I knew it would have to be read. I'm glad I read it because it's a pretty great read.

Meg is the protagonist. She has a pretty bad life. She a foster kid who's been in the system her whole life. Her mom just abandoned her as a baby. The foster care she is in currently is terrible, the lady treats her like dirt. The cat is treated much better than her. I felt so bad for her and found it really easy to connect with her because for years I was that quiet foster kid, I had next to no friends and just tried to blend in. My mom however didn't give me up, she was just having a rough time so we were shipped away while she got help. So in that way I can't connect. Having a daughter myself now though, I can't even imagine not wanting her. So I feel bad that Meg's mom didn't want her. So she harbours a lot of anger toward her mom for that. She hates her foster parent and the mean kids at school.

Fast-forward a bit and Meg meets Ambrosia, a beautiful girl in her class who takes a strange interest in her and the other two outcasts, Alix and Stephanie. Suddenly they become the Furies, with amazing powers to bring justice to those who deserve it. But with power there is responsibility and teen-aged girls might not be the best choice for this kind of responsibility. Hormonal and irrational when it comes to certain things, the girls quickly become power hungry as they're nudged to do more by Ambrosia. Can they keep control of their burning desire for revenge and justice. Sometimes and eye for an eye isn't the best route.

I haven't read too much on the Furies, so I learned quite a bit of their story from Furious. All of the information, the important highlights anyways, are in there. So you don't really need to know a whole lot about them to be able to follow along easily. You probably don't even need to know anything.

I really enjoyed Jill Wolfson's writing style. It was fairly fast paced and informative at the same time. I was never really bored. There were moments when my jaw almost hit the ground (halloween party) and others where I just wanted to yell at the girls not to trust Ambrosia. So I got completely caught up in the story you could say. Definitely one you should check out, especially if you like mythology!

Review: My Ex From Hell by Tellulah Darling

My Ex From Hell
(The Blooming Goddess Trilogy #1)

Author: Tellulah Darling

Publication Date: April 1st 2013

Publisher: Te Da Media

Genre: Fantasy/Mythology

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Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Sophie Bloom wishes she’d been taught the following: a) Bad boy’s presence (TrOuBlE) + teen girl’s brain (DraMa) = TrAuMa (Highly unstable and very volatile.) b) The Genus Greekulum Godissimus is notable for three traits: 1) awesome abilities, 2) grudges, and 3) hook-ups, break-ups, and in-fighting that puts cable to shame.

Prior to the Halloween dance, Sophie figures her worst problems involve adolescent theatrics, bitchy yoga girls, and being on probation at her boarding school for mouthy behaviour. Then she meets bad boy Kai and gets the kiss that rocks her world.

Literally.

This breath stealing lip lock reawakens Sophie’s true identity: Persephone, Goddess of Spring. She’s key to saving humanity in the war between the Underworld and Olympus, target numero uno of Hades and Zeus, and totally screwed.

Plus there’s also the little issue that Sophie’s last memory as Persephone was just before someone tried to murder her.

Big picture: master her powers, get her memories back, defeat Persephone’s would be assassin, and save the world. Also, sneak into the Underworld to retrieve stolen property, battle the minions of Hades and Zeus, outwit psycho nymphs, slay a dragon, rescue a classmate, keep from getting her butt expelled from the one place designed to keep her safe …

… and stop kissing Kai, Prince of the Underworld.

My Thoughts: Alright, October needs to be here today. I need the next book. Tellulah, how could you leave us with an ending like that? I need to know what happens next!

Once again, Tellulah Darling writes an awesome and hilarious story. I absolutely loved Sophie/Persephone and her completely mouthy attitude. She wasn't at all afraid to say what she wanted. Honestly, why should she be? She's a goddess! But, she was like that before she found out who she really was. She was funny and pretty okay with finding out, even if she's still missing a lot of her memories and hasn't figured out the extent of her powers again.

So Sophie is a pretty good character, I love a snarky one. Then there is Kai, whom she can't stand but was her lover when she was Persephone. So she's definitely attracted to him, but he's a total player and drives her insane. They had a plan to end the war (which is hilarious when he tells her), but who knows if it will still happen since she is stuck in a human body and hates him half the time. He doesn't help matters by hitting on anyone with a pretty face.

Sophie has two awesome friends, Hannah and Theo. Both who keep her in line, most of the time. She has an enemy, Bethany, who she is plotting against when the book begins. All of the characters are awesome. Tellulah has a great way with character building.

Sophie has to step up and save humanity, even those she'd rather just kill. *I'm talking about you Bethany* BUT she is supposed to protect humans, so that will have to wait.

Overall, My Ex From Hell is an excellent read. It's hilarious, has action, drama, kissing and gods. Who doesn't like a book with mythological roots that is well written? I know I do. I really can't wait for the next book in the series and will be anticipating it's release. Tellulah Darling is one author that you must check out if you haven't already, she is not on my must read list! So if you're looking for something fun to read, check this one out!

Review: The Goddess Inheritance by Aimée Carter

The Goddess Inheritance
The Goddess Test #3

Author: Aimée Carter

Publication Date: February 26, 2013

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Thank you Harlequin Teen for the review copy via NetGalley

Genre: Fantasy/Mythology

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Synopsis:

Love or life.
Henry or their child.
The end of her family or the end of the world.
Kate must choose.


During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal.

In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead.

With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything.

Even if it costs her eternity.

My Thoughts: This is one of my favourite series.  I love it and I think that this was a good ending to a series that has enraptured me from the first page.

The last book (Goddess Interrupted) left off at a massive cliffhanger for the readers and this novel picks up almost nine months later.  I wish I had seen more of the time in between those nine months, but for the flow of the novel and the series I could see how it was skipped.

This book was full of action, even more so than the previous ones had been.  I felt as though the romance in it was a little less consuming than the first and second one and kind of left me hanging for more, but nevertheless there were a lot of sweet scenes for everyone involved.  Plus, I understand why you wouldn't have time for romantic gestures and cuddling with all that was going on.  It really left you relieved at the ending when everything was finally in it's place.

The characters in this series are wonderfully developed - each and every one of them.  If you read this series and haven't checked out The Goddess Legacy a short story between Goddess Interuppted and The Goddess Inheritance you definitely should.  It made me look at the characters in this final book in a light that I never would have when reading it.  So, I enjoyed every character good and bad in this series.

The reader gets to see a new side of both Kate and Henry in this final novel.  Kate becomes more fiercely protective than she had ever been before and you get to (finally) see exactly what Henry can do and why he is so fearsome.  These two have been through so much together and if there is any reason to be glad an amazing series is over, it is because the characters you adore finally get some peace in their lives.

I did, however, really really miss the Underworld in this one.  I wish I had seen more of it!

Overall, I loved this book just as much as I loved the other ones.  I wish a few things had turned out differently, but that happens with almost every series people read.  I am pretty satisfied with the ending and I feel like all loose ends are tied up marvellously   If you haven't read this series yet, I highly suggest that you do.  It isn't something you would want to miss!

Review: Endure by Carrie Jones

Endure
Need #4

Author: Carrie Jones

Publication Date: May 8, 2012

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Genre: Fantasy/Mythology

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Synopsis:

Zara is at the center of an all-out war, and an impending apocalypse. True, she’s successfully rescued Nick from Valhalla, but it simply isn’t enough. Bedford is being ravaged by evil pixies and they need much more than one great warrior; they need an army. Zara isn’t sure what her role is anymore. She’s not just fighting for her friends, she’s also a pixie queen. And to align her team of pixies with the humans she loves will be one of her greatest battles yet. Especially since she can’t even reconcile her growing feelings for her pixie king…

Unexpected turns, surprising revelations, and one utterly satisfying romantic finale make Endure a thrilling end to this series of bestsellers.

My Thoughts: I read this series back to back in a whirlwind couple of days. I have to say, I really really enjoyed the series as well. I loved the first book, felt a small dull in the next few, but I am so glad that I stuck it out until the end because it was totally worth it.

The Need series is about a girl named Zara White and her journey. I loved watching her really and truly evolve and go through so much from Need to Endure. She was pretty awe-inspiring and I was glad to be in her head. The turmoil she goes through when facing moral dilemmas feels genuine.

Endure, in particular, is probably my favourite book out of this series. Not just because Zara ends up with the boy I was rooting for (YAY!) but also because of the action, the romance, the friendship and the obstacles they overcome.

Zara is the girl in Amnesty International. She tries to save the world, one letter at a time and is a pacifist. By this novel, all of her beliefs have been tested as well as her character. Nick is her first love and an overprotective alpha wolf with a black and white view of the world.

Astley is the pixie king that showed Zara that not all pixies are bad and turned her world from black and white to help her see the grey. He is respectful of her decisions and defends them (most of the time).

Again, I really liked this entire series and would recommend it! It has a lot of Norse Mythology in it, which I liked since I could discuss it with my husband since he loves it so much. The only negative I have about this book is that I wish a few more things were clarified for me in the end - but sometimes it is good to leave the viewers wanting more, I suppose.

Review: Daughter of Earth and Sky by Kaitlin Bevis

Daughter of Earth and Sky
(Persephone #2)

Author: Kaitlin Bevis

Publication Date: December 21, 2012

Publisher: Musa Publishing
Thank you Musa Publishing for the review copy

Genre: Mythology

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Synopsis:

Some vows can never be broken.
Persephone thought she could go back to her normal life after returning from the Underworld. She was wrong. The goddess Aphrodite is born among the waves with more charm than she can control. Zeus is stalking Persephone and her loved ones, and Thanatos is no longer content with Persephone’s silence.

He wants her soul.

Persephone can’t tell anyone about Thanatos’ betrayal, and it drives a wedge between her and Hades. Her mother is still keeping secrets, and Melissa’s jealousy of Aphrodite threatens to tear their friendship apart.

Alone, Persephone turns to a human boy for comfort. But will their relationship put him in danger? Sacrifices must be made, and Persephone must choose between her human life and her responsibilities as a goddess. If she doesn’t, she could lose them both.

But will either life be worth choosing once Zeus is through with her?

My Thoughts: I love the first book in this series and I was ecstatic when I received Daughter of Earth and Sky to review.  If you follow my reviews at all, you know that I am a big fan of mythology and a huge fan of Hades.  So, safe to say that this book is right up my alley.

A lot of things that were started in the first book (Persephone) came to a head in Daughter of Earth and Sky, things that I was really excited to see the resolution to and Bevis didn't disappoint.  This novel is full of emotional highs and lows .  It was a roller-coaster of emotion that I just didn't want to get off of... and I didn't until it was finished. In fact, once I opened the book I very rarely strayed away from it.

I enjoyed the character development in this book. We get to see more sides of Hades than we did in the first book and Persephone seems to grow into herself and her new roles.  Hades is more willing to drop his guard around his wife (most of the time) and he is put through situations that really show his character.  Persephone seems to have come to terms with being a Goddess and Queen of the Underworld... well, a lot more than she had before.  By the end of the novel, she really has a better understanding of who she is, what she wants, what she doesn't and some of her (im)mortal flaws.

I think that the villains in this novel were spectacularly done.  I mean, I hated them.  Some of the things that they put Persephone and Hades through were enough to make me scream.  Just typing about them now is enough to make me super mad when I think about them!

All in all, I think I may have liked this book more than the first one - which is saying something.  This is an excellent series and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for their next read.

Waiting on Wednesday (39)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly awaiting.

The Goddess Inheritance
(Goddess Test #3)

Author: Aimee Carter

Expected Publication Date: February 26, 2013

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Synopsis:

Love or life.

Henry or their child.

The end of her family or the end of the world.

Kate must choose.



During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal.

In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead.

With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything.
Even if it costs her eternity.

Words cannot express how excited I am for this book to be out - especially after the cliffhanger Goddess Interrupted (#2) ends with. Eagerly awaiting this one guys!

***

What are you waiting on?

Review: Abandon by Meg Cabot

Abandon

Author: Meg Cabot

Publication Date: April 26, 2011

Publisher: Point

Genre: Fantasy/Mythology

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Synopsis:

Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.

Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.

But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

My Thoughts: This book wasn’t exactly what I had expected when I first opened it, but that wasn’t a bad thing in this case. I was expecting another re-telling of the classic Hades and Persephone relationship or some other form of it (which it kind of was) but it wasn’t exactly how I had imagined it going.

Pierce Oliviera died when she was fifteen. Then, she did what all people do when they die – wait in line. Until she sees a man that she recognises from childhood on a horse and he appears to be in charge. She catches his attention and her afterlife was never the same. Until she woke up – alive in her mother’s arms.

This romance kind of confused me a bit. I mean, I am used to the quick-love thing that seems to be present in most YA novels, but this one was a bit much for me. These two met for about 10-20 minutes about4 times in a year and a half span. Each resulted in arguments, near-death for other people and once with hot tea in the face. Then suddenly, professions of love.

But, I have to admit, I was a guilty pleasure of mine to enjoy it.

Pierce is kind and caring in a pretty legit way. She actually sincerely cares about everything. She risks her life to save animals and easily forgives people (maybe with the exception of John).

John’s mood swings are fast and pretty intense. One minute he is insanely angry and the next completely calm. The relationship between the two certainly has an interesting dynamic.

The book ended kind of abruptly (although, despite being a pet-peeve of mine I didn’t seem to mind in this case). The relationship came on fast and strong. The book doesn’t exactly begin at the start of the story either. Regardless of all that, I still enjoyed the book a lot – which says a lot about the characters and the writers. I would definitely recommend this to people who love the Underworld as much as I do!

T.G.I.F. (15)

Thank Great Illustrators Fridays is a book meme created and hosted by Owl Read It.

They say don't judge a book by it's cover, but a lot of the time the cover is what draws you to the book in the first place. This meme is to show appreciation to the artists who put their time and effort into creating the great book covers of our beloved series.

To Participate:

• Pick a book cover you love (any book will do - released or not)
• Post the picture of the book along with the author & publisher 
• Post a brief summary of why you like the cover. 
• Take the pic above and link back to us :)

This week's TGIF cover:

Abandon

Author: Meg Cabot

Publication Date: April 26, 2011

Publisher: Point

Genre: Fantasy/Mythology

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Synopsis:

Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.
But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.
Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.
But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

I am super excited to read/review this book when I finally I have time! I am obsessed with the Greek Underworld right now. I love the cover mainly because of the gold, it makes it look so rich and pretty. I just love it!

What are your favourite book covers? Leave us a link to your own T.G.I.F! :)

Waiting on Wednesday (37)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly awaiting.

The Mark of Athena

Author: Rick Riordan

Exprected Publication Date: October 2, 2012

Publisher: Hyperion Books

Genre: Fantasy/Mythology

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Synopsis:

Annabeth is terrified. Just when she’s about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo’s fantastical creation doesn’t appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.
And that’s only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close— the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?
Annabeth’s biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he’s now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

This is one of my favourite series (and my husband reads it with me!). We both love mythology :). I am excited to see what is going to happen when Annabeth and Percy reunite.

***

What are you waiting on this week?

Owl Recommend (2)

Owl Recommend is a feature at Owl Read It where we try and help you find your next great read. 

I LOVE Greek Mythology, which basically means I love books about Greek Mythology.  Hades has always fascinated me.  I mean, he is basically only the God of the Underworld because he drew the short straw when they were dishing out territories (so to speak).  He never involved himself in Olympus politics either.  I mean, just because he had domain over the Underworld didn't make him evil, per say.

So, if you liked one of these books you are bound to like the other.  I love both and I highly recommend them.

Books mentioned:

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

Persephone by Kaitlin Bevis

*Reviews for both are available under "Reviews by Kristal"

T.G.I.F. (10)

Thank Great Illustrators Fridays is a book meme created and hosted by Owl Read It.

They say don't judge a book by it's cover, but a lot of the time the cover is what draws you to the book in the first place.  This meme is to show appreciation to the artists who put their time and effort into creating the great book covers of our beloved series.

To Participate:

• Pick a book cover you love (any book will do - released or not)
• Post the picture of the book along with the author, publisher & the illustrator of the cover (if you can find it, if not, that's okay too!)
• Post a brief summary of why you like the cover.  
• Take the pic above and link back to us :)

This Week's T.G.I.F. Cover:

Betrayal by Mayandree Michel

Published: March 1, 2011

Publisher: Self-Published
Illustrator(s): Can't find a name. If you know, please tell me :) And thank you, whoever you are!

Short Summary: Where there is love and power, there is always... betrayal.
At seventeen, Cordelia is an ordinary teen with an extraordinary and frightening secret. A secret that induces vivid dreams which she not only experiences true love, but crippling fear while barely escaping with her life each night...

My Thoughts:  Despite the mixed reviews on this one (seems like you either love it or hate it), I can't deny the cover is gorgeous.  I love the gold colour scheme.  I see the Parthenon up in the clouds and lightening bolt fingers.  Daughter of Zeus, I am assuming.  Pretty cover - I am going to try out the book when I hit my "to-read" list!

What are your favourite book covers? Leave us a link to your own T.G.I.F! :)

Review: Wake by Amanda Hocking

Wake
(Watersong #1)

Author: Amanda Hocking

Publication Date: August 7th, 2012

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Genre: Paranormal / Mythology

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Synopsis:

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

My Thoughts: >When I first started reading Wake I thought I was about to start my second ever mermaid book. Note to everyone, there are NO mermaids. I also had no idea that there was going to be a mythological background story. I was so EXCITED for that!! I love mythology!! Needless to say, I throughly enjoyed reading Wake, it took me less than a day to read it and was a fairly easy and quick read. I actually hadn't read anything by Amanda Hocking before (although the Trylle series sits on my shelf, so I will get to it!!), so this was a very nice introducing into her writing style. I will be eagerly awaiting Lullaby, the next book in the Watersong series. I've very happy to see that there are 4 books planned in the series.

So I just have to say it, I love the cover of Wake!! It's so pretty. I'm really a fan of the underwater covers that have been coming out lately. Maybe because I like the blue that comes with it. The font that is used is also one that I'm a fan of. I find the cover fairly simple overall and it doesn't really give anything away in the book. So really enjoying the covers of this series, the one for Lullaby is on Goodreads and is equally as nice, they will look very nice on my shelf.

Wake follows Gemma and Harper, two sisters that are very different. Gemma is a star swimmer, she is hoping to get to the Olympics someday. She's carefree, pretty and has a thing for Alex, the bor next door. Harper has given up her childhood to look after Gemma after their mom was in an accident. She is smart and reserved and Alex is her oldest friend. It's all she can do to try and keep Gemma out of trouble. Suddenly boys are going missing, but Gemma is fearless and still continues her nightly swims in the bay. One thing the two sisters can agree on it the new girsl in town, Penn, Lexi and Thea are bad news. Gemma tries to avoid them, but they won't leave her alone. 

I enjoyed both Gemma and Harper as characters. I would say that Harper is a lot like me, so I was really able to relate to her. Gemma was a bit harder for me to relate with, but she was still a character that I enjoyed getting to know. Both girls are great characters who try to do what is right and they are both falling for guys that they least expected to fall for.

Overall this book really surprised me in that it wasn't exactly what I was expecting, in a good way. It was really enjoyable with great characters that I was able to relate with. The story was well written and had small surprises in it. If you like mythology, you should definitely add this one to your TBR. Amanda Hocking is a great  author and I will be reading more by her soon! With a bit of paranormal, mythology and romance, Wake has made it's way to one of my favorite reads. It's a book that I will be highly recommending. Definitely check out this series!

  

Thank you to Raincoast Books for the review copy!!